---
title: "Nuclear Justification Framework"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04383f"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04383f"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04383f.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04383f.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "DEFRA NETWORK ETENDERING PORTAL"
published: "2024-02-08"
---

# Nuclear Justification Framework

Buyer: DEFRA NETWORK ETENDERING PORTAL  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04383f

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04383f)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04383f.json)

## Summary

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) is planning a procurement process for expert consultancy services under the title "Nuclear Justification Framework" in the services category. The procurement aims to support the assessment of industry applications for Regulatory Justification of new nuclear technologies to fulfil obligations as Justifying Authority. Defra anticipates requiring these services from late 2024 or early 2025, with an emphasis on economic, energy security, and environmental assessments. The procurement method is a tender, with the main location being the UK.

The planned tender for the "Nuclear Justification Framework" offers opportunities for businesses with expertise in environmental consultancy, nuclear energy sector knowledge, and formal consultancy advisory services. Contractors are expected to provide ongoing technical advisory support across multiple projects, assessing applications based on various benefits and detriments. Potential businesses interested in this tender should be prepared to engage closely with Defra's Nuclear Justification team and demonstrate expertise in economic analysis, energy sector knowledge, and nuclear energy technologies.

## Notice

Defra is currently considering options for the procurement of expert consultancy services to support the assessment of industry applications for Regulatory Justification of new nuclear technologies. This will enable Defra to fulfil its obligations as Justifying Authority under the Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations 2004 (1769/2004), which require functional separation between DESNZ (Department of Energy Security and Net Zero) as the department promoting nuclear technology and the Justifying Authority. We anticipate the services will be required from late 2024 or early 2025. 

The option to approach the market with a tender for a dedicated multi-supplier framework is being considered alongside other potential routes to market. Defra wish to undertake a market engagement market exercise to better understand the interest, capability and capacity of the supply market to provide these services in any future invitation to tender.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Examples of the type of services expected to be required include ongoing technical advisory, analytical and consultancy support throughout the multi-month assessment of a Justification application, and/or shorter projects which may involve written advice and assessments of the appropriacy of the definition(s) of a class or type of practice of new nuclear technologies, analysis of specific issues raised by consultation respondents or comparison of specific aspects of current and previous applications. 

Based on current information, it is anticipated that at least five industry Justification applications will be received for review over a five-year period, but this figure may increase or decrease as interest in nuclear energy generation evolves. The timing for the receipt of applications is not currently known but expected to be in the order of one or two applications per year. The duration of assessments will depend on the nature of the applications, but it is anticipated that external technical support may last for up to a period of approximately 19 months for each application, and within this timeframe Defra would set response deadlines to meet during the process.

Contractors will need to assess applications in respect of their important economic, energy security, carbon reduction and other benefits and on a wide range of detriments, which include radiological detriment to health, safety and security and environmental impacts, covering operation, waste disposal and decommissioning. 

Contractors will therefore need to have expertise in the following areas:
1. Economic analysis and appropriate knowledge of the energy sector, to enable effective assessment of how the class or type of practice contributes to the energy mix in UK policy.
2. Broad and deep knowledge of nuclear energy sector, to enable effective assessment based on fully informed understanding of technologies.
3. Expert formal consultancy advice, with a view to working in close partnership with Defra's Nuclear Justification team. 

This engagement exercise is also intended to help to inform the following:

* How Contractors may deliver the services, for example in-house, via sub-contractors, via a consortium or other operational structure.

* The structure of a framework-whether a lot structure or capability matrix structure or similar would be beneficial to break services down into discreet areas of specialism or work types as opposed to a single lot arrangement that would require contractors to be able to provide all the services in the specification to be eligible?

* The level of conflict of interest that currently exists or may develop within the market and how this may be managed. Additional information: To indicate your organisation's interest in tendering for a future contract to provide the required services, you are invited to complete a short market engagement questionnaire. The questionnaire can be obtained by contacting carol.caddick@defra.gov.uk, quoting 'P33774 Questionnaire Request' in the subject heading. Completed questionnaires should be returned no later than 16:00 on 15 March 2024.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004195-2024 |
| Notice type | Planning Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 8 Feb 2024 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 30 Apr 2024 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £8,850,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planned |
| Lots status | Planned |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEFRA NETWORK ETENDERING PORTAL |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 4DF |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 45 - Construction work
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

### Codes

- 45251110 - Nuclear-power station construction work
- 71621000 - Technical analysis or consultancy services
- 90711000 - Environmental impact assessment other than for construction
- 90713000 - Environmental issues consultancy services

## Release History

- 8 Feb 2024 at 12:03 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004195-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04383f. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04383f.json.